Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a serious public health problem. In hospitals, vancomycin-resistant isolates are becoming more common. A recent survey found 7.9% of Enterococci in United States hospitals are now vancomycin-resistant. “Nosocomial Enterococci Resistant to Vancomycin” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 42(30):597–598(1993). Further resistance of Vancomycin and other antibiotics to Enterococcus faecium is reported, Handwergers. et al., Clin. Infect. Dis. 1993(16),750–755. Resistance organisms are also a problem for other important antibiotics which includes piperacillin. Clearly, antibiotic resistance is a growing public health problem and having new antibiotics available could provide additional options for physicians in treatment regimens.
The medical community recognizes that there is an ongoing need for additional antibiotics. The search for new antibiotics which exhibit antibacterial activity against vancomycin-resistant isolates and having structures which are not derivatives of vancomycin are particularly appealing.
Bravomicins, as antibacterial agents are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,543
The above disclosed bravomicins are distinct from the antibacterial agents disclosed in the present invention.